Thursday, April 4, 2013


9 comments:

  1. RIP, Mr. Ebert. You had many great and interesting thoughts on the subject of film, even if I didn't always agree with them.

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    1. I think I should elaborate on my thoughts. It really feels like the end of a major era in the world of film criticism. Roger Ebert was so widly known and respected that, while there are some names that could be thrown out, I don't think there is really anyone right now who could fill that void. A truely great mind on the subject of film has left us, and it's very sad that his sincere, well-crafted, and thought-provoking opinions on new movies will no longer be heard.

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  2. "Siskel & Ebert" was one of the first TV shows I started watching regularly when I moved to the US in 1989 (along with "Larry King Live" and "Late Night with David Letterman"), primarily because I was still learning the language and these gentlemen spoke and articulated clearly their thoughts about something that I loved: movies. On their strong recommendation I went to see my first movie in an American theater (even though I could only understand every other sentence): 1989's "Roger & Me."

    At least Roger got to hang around and watch a few more movies than Gene, although technically Siskel was on a better position to watch the whole thing. ;-) Seriously though, my thoughts are with his wife and family. Constructive film criticism is an art we all strive for in one way or another (some more/less fun/serious than others), and it's safe to say we wouldn't be doing what we do on this site if Roger Ebert hadn't contributed to our interest in movies in a meaningful way.

    R.I.P. Roger. You'll be missed. :'(

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  3. He took film journalism seriously, wrote one of the biggest cult movies of all time, received the Pulitizer, championed movies that were getting crapped on by others, and disliked films that the public greatly enjoyed(and have proven to be classics now).

    He took critiquing films into the mainstream, and not just in print.

    When I was a teen, I would purchase his book each year of his film reviews. I lived in Ca, so the Chicago Sun Times wasn't readily available.

    In second grade, I did a presentation in class that I would love to be the third co-host in the "Siskel and Ebert and Cameron Show". :)

    I will definitely miss his warmth, his humor, and even when he disliked something that I enjoyed, I was always curious why he felt that way--and I cared.

    He was the last true great film critic that a filmmaker cared about getting a good review from.

    And like Ray Liotta stated in "Goodfellas" (one of Ebert's favorites), "And now that's all gone."

    I'm sad.

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  4. Rest in peace, Roger.

    This is the kind of thing that makes me hope there is an afterlife. I like the idea of Gene welcoming him to heaven...and then ripping into him for all the reviews he got "wrong" in the intervening years.

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    1. Maybe there's reincarnation...

      And then Ebert could come back as a beautiful bird...find Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin and shit on their heads.

      :-)

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    1. You took the words right out of my mouth. Ebert was a genuine hero to me, I've read his work voraciously for as long as I can remember. Such awful news.

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  6. Thumbs up.

    Rest in peace, Roger.

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